Tummy tuck in Tijuana · Day 9 of 10
Day 9 after a tummy tuck in Tijuana
If your surgeon clears you, plan the flight: aisle seat, small bag only, someone to lift your case, a walk every hour.
Short answer
On day 9 after a tummy tuck in Tijuana:
- Not today Lifting and straining · Exercise · Showers, baths and pools
- With care Walking · Compression garment · Sleeping position · Flying home
Good options today: Valle de Guadalupe wine tour, Tijuana tacos and craft beer tour, Seafood tostada stands.
Today's rules
Walking
Walk every day, a little more than the day before. Walking helps blood flow and lowers the risk of clots and pneumonia. Between walks, move your feet and legs often.
Source: Kaiser Permanente · Acibadem International
Lifting and straining
For 6 weeks, avoid lifting anything that makes you strain, such as a suitcase, heavy shopping bags or a child. Let your companion carry the bags.
Source: Kaiser Permanente
Exercise
No abdominal exercises and nothing strenuous, such as cycling, jogging, weights or aerobics, for 6 to 8 weeks.
Source: Kaiser Permanente · NHS
Compression garment
Wear the compression garment all the time except in the shower. The NHS says it is usually worn for about 6 weeks; your surgeon sets the date.
Source: Kaiser Permanente · NHS
Showers, baths and pools
Showering usually starts 24 to 48 hours after surgery or once the drains are out, as your surgeon says. No bath for at least 2 weeks, and ask your surgeon before pools, the sea, hot tubs or the hammam.
Source: Kaiser Permanente · Acibadem International
Sleeping position
Rest with your upper body raised and pillows under your knees. Keeping your knees bent takes tension off the stitches.
Source: NHS · Acibadem International
Flying home
Fly only with your surgeon's clearance. Choose an aisle seat, ask for help with bags, walk about every hour and drink water.
Source: Acibadem International · U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · NHS
Confirm with your surgeon. These are general activity limits from published aftercare guidance. Your clinic's written instructions always come first, and they may be stricter or looser for your procedure.
4 things you can do today
Valle de Guadalupe wine tour
Mexico's wine country, about 90 minutes south, with tastings at several wineries.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 9 hours
Tijuana tacos and craft beer tour
Taco stands and breweries across the city.
A few hours on foot with breaks, some open-air walking, about 5 hours
Seafood tostada stands
Ceviche, shrimp and octopus piled on crunchy tostadas at the city's mariscos stands.
Gentle walking, shaded or covered, about 1 hour
Playas de Tijuana seafront and the border wall
A flat seafront walk to where the border fence runs into the Pacific, covered in murals.
Gentle walking, some open-air walking, about 1.5 hours
Also fine today: Mercado Hidalgo · Avenida Revolución walk · Lucha libre night · CECUT cultural centre and dome cinema · Guided walk: Revolución, Mercado Hidalgo and CECUT · Telefónica Gastro Park · Puerto Nuevo lobster and Ensenada · Pasaje Rodríguez art alley · Plaza Río mall
One thing to skip today
Rosarito beach
Why not: It involves swimming or water contact.
Not during the 10 days this guide covers. Ask your surgeon when it is safe.
Where to eat today
- Churros. Hot fried dough with sugar, from street carts. Crunchy.
- Craft beer on Plaza Fiesta. A cluster of small breweries in Zona Río.
- Caldo de res or caldo de pollo. Beef or chicken broth with soft vegetables, at any fonda. Let it cool after dental work.
Put every day of this guide in your calendar, with your dates